Greinke, bullpen shut out Sox

Royals starter Zach Greinke struggled during spring training, but he found a way to put it together Wednesday night in Chicago, giving up just three hits and three walks while striking out seven in six plus innings. Royals beat the Sox 2-0.

A pair of two out RBI hits from Coco Crisp in the third and Mark Teahen in the fifth were plenty for Greinke. With two outs in the third, the nine hitter Mike Aviles doubled off Sox starter Gavin Floyd. Crisp then hit a ground rule double to go up 1-0. In the fifth, Aviles singled to lead off and advanced to second on a wild pitch, then moved to third on a sac bunt from Crisp. After Floyd got David DeJesus to strike out looking, (one of Floyd’s 9 K’s in seven innings) Mark Teahen singled in Aviles.

This time the bullpen would hold the lead as Juan Cruz retired six straight after he came on in the seventh after Greinke gave up a lead off single to former Royal Jermaine Dye. Joakim Soria picked up the save in the ninth.